School bells to ring Monday in Rockdale area

Interim Supt. Don Denbow addressed RISD staff during ‘everyone attends’ opening session Monday at RJH. Monday is the first day of classes in the Rockdale ISD and throughout Texas, following a week of preparation by teachers and other personnel.

School officials have forecast a 31- student increase in the Rockdale and ISD, while Thorndale and Milano are looking for increases, and Gause for a slight decrease.

There’s no doubt what the big- gest change in the Rockdale ISD will be Monday. The local district starts the 2013-14 year with an interim superintendent.

Don Denbow’s first official day on the job was Monday, where he was the keynote speaker before an audience of several hundred school district employees at the annual in-service training opening day breakfast session in the junior-high commons.

Denbow, a retired Corsicana superintendent, came to the RISD after Vickie Bridges of Grand Prairie declined the school board’s offer of a contract to replace Dr. Howell Wright Jr.

ENROLLMENT—RISD campus principals forecast an enrollment of 1,574 Monday, compared to 1,543 one year ago.

An RHS enrollment of 448 is forecast, compared to 433 last year.

At the junior high, 338 are expected, compared to 340 in 2012-13.

Intermediate prediction is 368, compared to 345 one year ago.

And the elementary campus is prepared for 420, compared to 425 last August.

CLINIC—One of the biggest changes for 2013-14 in the Rockdale ISD won’t be ready to roll out until later in the term.

For several months, school trustees and Little River Healthcare have been working on cresting a clinic inside an RISD campus.

“It won’t be ready for a few months but it’s still in the works,” Pam Kaufmann, assistant superintendent for instruction and administration, said.

“ We want to make sure we work through all the issues and have time to clearly communicate everything before opening,” she added.

No actual opening date has been determined.

LUNCHES—Prices at school lunchrooms have gone up 15 dents across the board.

Reduced rates are available for students who qualify. Parents can make online payments to their child’s account and can monitor spending by visiting the RISD website.

Under the “Parents” tab, click on “myschoolbucks.”

MILANO—In the Milano ISD, Supt. Robert Westbrook predicts an enrollment of 425, up seven percent from last year’s first-day enrollment of 398.

The MISD forecast is for 162 in the elementary, 108 at the middle school and 155 in the high school.

THORNDALE—In the Thorndale ISD, Supt. Dr. Craig Spinn predicts a first-day enrollment of 570, an increase of three percent from 555 one year ago.

That breaks down to 250 on the elementary campus, 148 in the middle school and 184 at Thorndale High School.

GAUSE— Gause Supt. Perry Bell is looking for an enrollment of 200, down four percent from the 2012-13 enrollment of 208.